Bullying

Bullying can occur in many settings: on the street, in school, on transport, in work or in youth clubs. Although bullying usually implies a series of repeat incidents it can occasionally be a one-off serious incident.

 It can take many forms:

• Verbal
• Emotional
• Sexual
• Racist
• Homophobic 
• Cyber (misuse of new technology can be illegal. If in doubt, contact the police).

Sometimes the bully is one person but groups of people may also bully an individual or others.

The effects of bullying

People react differently, so don't worry if your own feelings are different from how people say you should react. The effects of bullying can include loss of confidence; feeling it's your own fault; loss of friendships; avoidance of certain places/situations; and sleeplessness. 

What to do if you're being bullied

• At school, try to see a member of staff who you trust.
• Talking to someone else about what is happening can make you feel a lot better
• If you are feeling sad and upset, you might want to speak to the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (open 24 hours, every day).
• Childline has some helpful, practical advice on bullying - anything from keeping records (such as nasty text messages) to checking your school's anti-bullying policy.
• Bullying is not usually a criminal matter but can become so if there is theft, criminal damage, harassment or racial harassment.

What to do if you are a bully

• Speak to someone as soon as possible so that you can start to tackle your behaviour.
• Not everyone will be sympathetic, even if you've become a bully to stop other people from bullying you.
• You might not realise that your behaviour can be seen as aggressive or intimidating until you are told